Sensei Boyle voted Vice-President of the World Karate Confederation

Terry Boyle from Cushendall has become the first Irishman (North or South), to be elected as Vice-President of one of the world’s 5 governing bodies of karate, the World Karate Confederation (WKC). He becomes Irelands highest ranked international karate official.

Sensei Boyle who began training in Wadoryu karate back in 1974 with the Irish Karate Federation in Derry was elected to the position on 26th June at the WKC Congress held in Belgrade, Serbia. The last 4 yearly Congress in Melbourne in 2013 saw the Glensman narrowly excluded from WKC’s ruling body, losing by 1 vote. He was elected to the WKC Presidential Board (a body which advises the President directly) two years later in Latvia. This time the Glensman was successful at the Serbian Congress with the new Executive Committee being, President Marko Nicovic 8th Dan WKF and 7th Dan JKF Wado-kai, of Serbia, vice-presidents Terry Boyle 6th Dan, N. Ireland, Dr. Viatcheslav Timofeev 7th Dan, Russia, Prof. Dr. Bruno Gilardi 8th Dan, Italy, Farkad Zhalmurzin 5th Dan, Kazakhstan, Ronald Watt OBE, ORS, 9th Dan Scotland, Dr. Swakky Rethinam 8th Dan, India and Regional President for South America Prof. Dr. Nestor Parreno of Argentina.

As WKC’s most senior referee, the Northern Ireland man has been in charge of WKC Referee development and training for many years and has delivered international referee training seminars locally as well as in USA, Argentina, Australia, Lithuania, Italy, Serbia, Germany, Latvia, Russia, Czech Rep. and a number of other countries.

He is also N Ireland’s only qualified Federation of Wado-Kai Europe referee official.

No stranger to the administrative side of national and international sport the Belfast bank manager has been one of the main driving forces behind Northern Ireland karate and the successes it now has. He has held or holds many positions including chair of the Ulster Karate Association, the Northern Ireland Wado-Kai (Federation of Wado-Kai Europe), the Ulster Karate Council, the Northern Ireland Karate Board and Northern Ireland’s biggest governing federation, Karate Northern Ireland.

“As a competitor I had little chance of competing internationally such was the status and standard of Northern Ireland karate back then. Yes, I competed in British and European championships but I had to represent Wales at the time to do it. But things have changed over the years and Karate NI members are now travelling regularly throughout Europe and further afield to attend European and World championships and it’s great to see them bring back titles and medals for Northern Ireland and Ireland”.

Terry continues to teach and train at UKA’s Carryduff Karate Club, bringing on the next champion and has tournaments in Rome, Paris and Minsk to attend later this year.

Below are some of the images of UKC’s recent trip to Serbia for the World Karate Championships